Careers and Internships
Social Work Careers
- Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) prepares individuals for entry-level direct practice.
- Master of Social Work (MSW) is necessary to provide therapy and for advancement to supervisory or administrative positions.
- Doctorate in Social Work (DSW) or Ph.D. usually required for positions in teaching, research, and administration. Desirable for some clinical positions and private practice.
- Complete a degree from a college or university program accredited by the Council on Social Work Education. Programs include practical field experience.
- Most states require licensure, certification, or registration.
- The field practicum is used to determine suitability for this profession and to provide exposure to various practice settings and clients.
- Candidates should possess empathy for others, an appreciation for diversity, and an interest in social change.
- Social workers serve a range of client systems (individuals, families, groups, communities) as they attempt to enhance social functioning.
- Social work is unique given its dual focus on the person and the environment.
- Note: Much of this information was adapted from Choices: Careers in Social Work by the National Association of Social Workers.
- For more information about social work careers, see the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
The chart below, developed by the career planning staff at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, is helpful in showing what types of careers you can go into with a degree in social work.
| Areas | Expertise | Employers | Description / Strategies |
|---|---|---|---|
| PUBLIC WELFARE | Administration and Planning Case Management Program Evaluation Policy Setting Research |
Public welfare agencies Private social service agencies |
Public welfare is designed to provide services and support for poor, disabled, ill, elderly, or juvenile clients. Volunteer at homeless shelters, soup kitchens, battered women homes, literacy programs, or other social service agencies to get experience. |
| CRIMINAL JUSTICE/CORRECTIONS | Counseling/Therapy Rehabilitation Probation Parole Youth Services Victim Assistance |
Prisons and correctional facilities Courts Police departments Probation offices Victim services organizations |
Social Workers in corrections focus on rehabilitation of clients. Obtain experience by volunteering at a corrections facility or victims program such as a rape crisis center. |
| SCHOOL SOCIAL WORK | Clinical Social Work Pupil Personnel Services Student Advocacy Instruction |
Elementary and secondary schools School districts Head start centers Early intervention programs |
School systems may employ social workers to help students cope with and resolve emotional,developmental, or educational difficulties. Gain experience with children at daycare centers, camps, or Scouts. |
| CHILD WELFARE | Case Management Advocacy Intervention |
Public and private child welfare agencies Adoption agencies Foster care organizations Child daycare |
Child welfare social workers strive to ensure the safety and well-being of children through treatment of the whole family. Volunteer at daycares, child shelters, camps, YMCA, Scouts, or other agencies that aid youth. |
| GERONTOLOGY | Advocacy/Intervention Counseling Case Management Programming Public Policy |
Hospitals Nursing homes Senior centers Assisted living Hospice |
Gerontology involves working with older adults, healthy or ill, and their families. Get involved with programs or organizations designed for senior citizens. |
| CLINICAL | Counseling Therapy |
Community mental health centers Psychiatric hospitals Residential and day treatment hospitals Employment assistance programs Schools Family service agencies Private practice |
Clinical social workers are found in a variety of settings that provide therapeutic counseling to clients. Master of Social Work (MSW) is required. |
| ADMINISTRATION | Management Policy Development Planning |
Family service agencies Child welfare departments Social service agencies State mental health departments Employee assistance programs Probation departments Public welfare agencies Public interest groups Local, state, and federal government |
Administrators are involved with planning, budgeting, public relations, marketing, supervising, operations management, fund raising, and other crucial responsibilities that keep an organization functioning. Obtain an MSW and gain management experience. |
| RESEARCH AND EDUCATION | Research Teaching |
Colleges and universities Research institutes Local, state and federal government Advocacy organizations |
Research provides data and statistics important in program implementation and policy development. Doctor of Social Work (DSW) or Ph.D. usually required. |
| OCCUPATIONAL | Counseling Education Wellness Promotion Employee Assistance Organizational Development Human Resources |
Businesses Corporations Employee assistance programs Labor unions |
Occupational social workers help employees to be more productive and satisfied. |
| DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES | Case Management Program Planning and Evaluation Research Policy Development |
Community residential homes State and local agencies Medical facilities Schools |
Social workers in this area help people with disabilities to adjust and to lead productive lives. Volunteer at special needs camps, daycares, schools, or hospitals to gain experience. |
| HEALTH CARE | Case Management Counseling Program Development Administration Research |
Hospitals Community health centers Outpatient clinics Public health programs Health maintenance organizations (HMOs) Nursing homes Group homes Hospice Veterans Administration hospitals |
Social workers in health care facilitate medical and emotional treatment of patients. Choose volunteer settings such as hospitals, the American Red Cross, or AIDS agencies to get experience. |
| COMMUNITY ORGANIZATION | Program and Community Development Advocacy Politics Education Planning |
Advocacy organizations Development corporations Community centers Local, state, and federal government Associations |
Social workers in this area work with existing organizations to improve conditions for specific groups, enhance quality of living, and involve community members in the political process. Get involved with grassroots causes and community agencies. |
Sample of Agencies That FSW Majors Have Worked With:
- Atrium Medical Center
Maternal Child Health (depart/floor)
Franklin, OH 45005 - Atrium Medical Center
Diamond Health Center
Behavioral Health Pavilion
Franklin, OH 45005 - Big Brothers Big Sisters of Butler County
Hamilton, OH 45011 - Butler County Adult Probation
Hamilton, OH 45011 - Butler County Care Facility
Hamilton, OH - Butler County Children’s Services Board
Hamilton, OH 45011 - Butler County Family & Children First Council
Hamilton, OH 45011 - Catholic Social Services
Hamilton, OH 45011 - City of Middletown
Comprehensive Counseling Service
Middletown, OH 45042 - Cleveland Elementary School
Hamilton, OH 45013 - Community Counseling & Crisis Center
Oxford, OH 45056 - Council on Aging
Cincinnati, OH 45203 - Eagles Wings Praise & Worship Center
Hamilton, OH 45011 - Every Child Succeeds Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center
Cincinnati, OH 45229-3039 - Family Resource Center
Oxford, OH 45056 - Family Service Association
Dayton, OH 45406 - Family Service Association
Community Services for the Deaf
Dayton, OH 45402 - Family Services of Middletown
Middletown, OH 45044 - Focus on Youth
West Chester, OH 45069 - Forensic Mental Health Services
Hamilton, OH 45011 - Fort Hamilton Hospital
Hamilton, OH 45013 - Greenwood Mental Health Center
Warren County Comm. Mental Health
Springboro, OH 45066 - Hamilton County Job & Family Services
Cincinnati, OH 45202 - Heritage Spring of West Chester
West Chester, OH 45069 - Hope House
Middletown, OH 45044 - Horizon Center
Teen Drug Intervention Program
Hamilton, OH 45011 - Hospice of Cincinnati
Cincinnati, OH 45242 - Knolls of Oxford
Oxford, OH 45056 - Kramer Elementary School
Oxford, OH 45056 - Lifespan
Hamilton, OH 45011 - Lighthouse
New Beginnings
Cincinnati, OH 45213 - Lighthouse Youth Services, Inc.
Transitional Living/ Shelter Plus Care
Cincinnati, OH 45229 - MALACHI
Youth Opportunities Program
Middletown, OH 45044 - Mercy Franciscan at Schroder
Hamilton, OH 45013 - Middletown City Schools
Middletown, OH 45044 - Middletown Municipal Court
Middletown, OH 45042 - Mt. Pleasant Retirement Village
Monroe, OH 45050 - Over-the-Rhine Community Housing
Cincinnati, OH 45202 - Oxford Senior Citizen Center
Oxford, OH 45056 - Planned Parenthood
Cincinnati, OH 45219 - Preble County Job and Family Services
Children Services Division
Eaton, OH 45320 - Rape, Crisis, & Abuse Center of Hamilton County
Cincinnati, OH 45227 - SELF
Hamilton, OH 45012 - St. Aloysius Orphanage
Cincinnati, OH 45237 - State of Heart Home
Health and Hospice
Greenville, OH 45331 - Talawanda High School
Oxford, OH 45056 - Talawanda Middle School
Oxford, OH 45056 - Talbert House
(Turtle Creek Center)
Lebanon, OH 45036 - Transitional Living, Inc.
Hamilton, OH 45011 - Vitas Hospice
Cincinnati, OH 45232 - Warren County Community Services
Lebanon, OH 45036 - Youth Opportunities Center
Middletown School District
Middletown, OH - Working in Neighborhoods
Cincinnati, OH 45232
Contact Us
Department of Family Science and Social Work
101A McGuffey Hall
Oxford, OH 45056
